Systems and methods for providing augmented reality-like interface for the management and maintenance of building systems

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to systems and methods for improved building systems management and maintenance. The present invention provides a system for providing an augmented reality-like interface for the management and maintenance of building systems, specifically the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems within a building, including the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/472,913, filed Mar. 29, 2017, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/328,492, filed Jul. 10, 2014, whichissued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,625,922, which claims the benefit of, andpriority to, U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/844,494, filed Jul. 10,2013, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/903,123, filed Nov. 12,2013, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by referenceherein in their entireties.

This application also claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/346,532, filed Jun. 6, 2016, the contentof which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to management systems andmethods, and, more particularly, to a system for providing an augmentedreality-like interface for the management and maintenance of buildingsystems, specifically the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP)systems within a building, including the heating, ventilation, andair-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

BACKGROUND

A building automation system, sometimes referred to as a buildingcontrol system, is a computerized network of electronic devices that canbe configured to control one or more systems such as, but not limitedto, mechanical, electrical, lighting, and security systems of abuilding. For example, a building automation system can be configured tocontrol a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system andits components for a building. A building automation system may be usedto further control various components of the previously noted systems,including, but not limited to, chillers, boilers, Air Handling Units(AHUs), Roof-top Units (RTUs), Fan Coil Units (FCUs), Heat Pump Units(HPUs), Variable Air Volume boxes (VAVs).

Although current building automation systems allow for some degree ofcontrol and management over a variety of different systems within abuilding, such systems suffer drawbacks. For example, while knownbuilding automation systems are configured for scalability and a certainamount of flexibility, there is a continuing need to optimally andefficiently manage, organize, and provide the large amounts and types ofdata available within a building, particularly to those users who relyon such data and need to take action, such as a facility manager, abuilding maintenance engineer, or the like.

SUMMARY

The present invention includes a system for providing an augmentedreality-like interface for the management and maintenance of buildingsystems, specifically mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systemswithin a building, which may include heating, ventilation, andair-conditioning (HVAC) systems. In particular, the system includes acentral management information system is configured to correlatecrowd-sourced data with building automation system data and output anaugmented reality-like interface to one or more users responsible for,or otherwise associated with, control or maintenance over the buildingsystems, such as a facilities manager or a building maintenanceengineer. The augmented reality-like interface generally provides avisual rendering of a component of a building system and furtherincludes information associated with at least one of the operatingparameters, visual diagnostics, and maintenance status of the component.The interface allows for a user to interact with the visual rendering tocontrol different parameters of the component and/or address anymaintenance issues, as based on the crowdsourced data.

For example, the crowd-sourced data may generally be collected frompatrons or employees within a space and may be related to comfort issuessuch as HVAC (e.g., temperature of a particular room within a building),building maintenance issues (e.g., lighting issues, cleanliness offacilities, etc.), as well as other aspects of a building or space thatmay be useful in management of such space. The building automationsystem data may generally include information related to individualpieces of equipment or components for any given environmental systemwithin a space (i.e., within the building). The equipment informationmay include, but is not limited to, equipment specifications, operatingparameters of the equipment, equipment diagnostics, as well asmaintenance status of the equipment. The building automation system datamay further include one or more files including one or more visualrenderings of the equipment, including still images and moving images(two-dimensional and three-dimensional) for providing visualillustration of the equipment and the internal components of theequipment, as well as illustrations depicting real-time diagnostics ofthe component while in operation.

The central management information system is configured to receive bothcrowdsourced data (data related to patron comfort levels or maintenanceissues, as well as QR codes associated with such data) and buildingautomation system data (e.g., data related to the environmental controlsystems (e.g., HVAC system and individual equipment)) to provide afacility manager/operator with an augmented reality-like graphicalinterface with which they may interact to address any requiredmaintenance or equipment issues. For example, in some embodiments, thesystem is configured to recognize when a user cans a QR code at a givenlocation. The QR codes, or similar tags, may be placed at specificlocations within a building, and, upon scanning the QR code, the systemis configured to receive crowdsourced data associated with theparticular QR code and further receive building automation system databased on the scanning event. In particular, the QR code may act as anidentifier, signaling the system to receive data associated with a givenpiece of equipment or system at the particular location in which the QRcode is location. For example, a user (e.g., building maintenanceworker) may scan a QR code within a given office within a building,wherein the system is then configured to receive the scanning event,receive crowdsourced data associated with the scanning event, andfurther pull up schematics and/or a list of equipment within the wallsof the office. The system provides such equipment information to theuser on the user's mobile device via an augmented reality-like graphicalinterface. The equipment information may further provide a user withpotential problems if connected to a central facility management system.The equipment information may further provide the user with anymaintenance and inspections that need to performed.

As such, a user, such as a facility manager, a building maintenanceengineer, or the like, may directly interact with the buildingautomation system and the equipment in a direct manner via their mobiledevice, while utilizing the crowdsourcing platform in which patrons oremployees within the building can provide their comfort levels and/ormaintenance issues. Accordingly, the system of the present inventionprovides a robust and optimal communication systems for improvingbuilding maintenance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the claimed subject matter will be apparentfrom the following detailed description of embodiments consistenttherewith, which description should be considered with reference to theaccompanying drawings:

FIG. 1A is a schematic representation of aspects of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 1B is a schematic representation of aspects of an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of one embodiment of a network-basedtransaction facility according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a database maintained bya database engine server;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a usertable within the database;

FIG. 4A is a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of a propertyinformation table within the database;

FIG. 4B is a schematic representation of a floor plan usable withembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 4C is a table with summaries of information shown in the floor planof FIG. 4B;

FIG. 4D is a table populated with data and rules in accordance withembodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of one embodiment of a systemwithin which aspects of the present invention may be embodied;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of one embodiment of an interface sequence inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 7A is a flow chart of one embodiment for a method of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7B is a flow chart of another embodiment for a method of thepresent invention;

FIG. 7C is a flow chart of another embodiment for a method of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 13 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 14 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 15 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is an exemplaryrepresentation of an interface included in the sequence of interfacesshown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 16A is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 16B is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 16C is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 17 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 18 is an exemplary representation of an interface included in thesequence of interfaces shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 19 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a computer system usablein various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an exemplarysystem for providing an augmented reality-like interface for themanagement and maintenance of building systems, specifically themechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems within a building,including the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating the central managementinformation system of FIG. 20 in greater detail;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating at least one embodiment of amobile device for providing the augmented reality-like interface to auser consistent with the present disclosure; and

FIG. 23 illustrates an exemplary augmented reality-like interface outputto a mobile device and providing a visual rendering of operatingequipment of a HVAC system.

For a thorough understanding of the present disclosure, reference shouldbe made to the following detailed description, including the appendedclaims, in connection with the above-described drawings. Although thepresent disclosure is described in connection with exemplaryembodiments, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to thespecific forms set forth herein. It is understood that various omissionsand substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances maysuggest or render expedient.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

By way of overview, the present invention provides an augmentedreality-like interface for the management and maintenance of buildingsystems, specifically mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systemswithin a building, which may include heating, ventilation, andair-conditioning (HVAC) systems. In particular, the system includes acentral management information system is configured to correlatecrowd-sourced data with building automation system data and output anaugmented reality-like interface to one or more users responsible for,or otherwise associated with, control or maintenance over the buildingsystems, such as a facilities manager or a building maintenanceengineer. The augmented reality-like interface generally provides avisual rendering of a component of a building system and furtherincludes information associated with at least one of the operatingparameters, visual diagnostics, and maintenance status of the component.The interface allows for a user to interact with the visual rendering tocontrol different parameters of the component and/or address anymaintenance issues, as based on the crowdsourced data.

The following description describes an overall method and system forproviding automated report generation, aggregation, and response, in anetwork-based transaction facility are described. In the followingdescription, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details areset forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the presentinvention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art thatthe present invention may be practiced without these specific details.It should be noted that the central management information system of thepresent disclosure utilizes data acquired and stored via methods andsystems described in FIGS. 1A-19.

Referring to FIG. 1A, embodiments of the present invention offerbuilding owners, operators, and occupants a new and powerful way toshare information about comfort, maintenance, and safety issues with aneasy to use smart device application. These embodiments convert thiscrowd sourced feedback into time stamped, geo-located aggregatedreports/maps, which are actionable through a custom portal allowingbuilding owners or facility managers to respond more rapidly and costeffectively to occupant concerns. These embodiments democratize andamplify the voices of building occupants, while helping building ownersto pinpoint energy and operational saving opportunities. Referring toFIG. 1A, users may open application 70, identify a location 72, e.g., byscanning a QR Code, and generate a maintenance report 74, an inspectionreport 76 and/or a comfort report 78. Referring now to FIG. 1B, oncethese reports are collected at 80, they are aggregated and analyzed(e.g., mapped) based on location at 82, and then automaticallycommunicated to an appropriate recipient for response 84. In theseembodiments, thermal comfort is facilitated by leveraging the power ofemployees to identify energy savings opportunities, improve comfort andworker productivity. Facilities management is facilitated by collecting,aggregating, and delivering real-time, geo-located reports on comfortand maintenance issues. Environmental compliance and inspection isfacilitated by replacing the clipboard with real-time, site-specificenvironmental compliance reporting.

Various embodiments operate by initially having facility managersidentify locations for data collection in and/or around particularproperties. Markers are printed, delivered, and placed at the identifiedlocations. Employees/Inspectors are notified, asked to download theapplication, and begin reporting. Facilities managers gain instantaccess to the secure portal where the data is aggregated and displayed.From the inventive platform, maintenance reports are converted into workorders that can be efficiently organized, addressed, and stored. Asthese reports are processed the employees who filed them are notified ofprogress through their phones. In particular embodiments, buildingsystems are adjusted automatically in response to the aggregated,geo-located reports.

Potential benefits include: engaging employees and making them part ofthe solution; improving health, safety and security within anorganization; collection of meaningful data that can be leveraged tosupport high-impact recommendations; use of predictive analytics toidentify maintenance needs before they become problems; and/oroptimization of workflow efficiency for building maintenance.

Reporting comfort and/or maintenance issues is simply the first step. Bycapturing and highlighting occupant discomfort, occupants can provide acompelling feedback loop to building owners—and the cloud—to addressthese problems and reduce energy consumption, while improving buildingoccupants' comfort. Initial embodiments may simply provide crowd sourcedfeedback to building facility managers/owners informing them the extentto which building HVAC system design, set points, and overall operationis meeting occupant comfort expectations. Ultimately, crowd sourcedreactions would directly influence or directly control HVAC operation(temperature and humidity levels) alongside required ventilation/airexchange rates (e.g. ASHRAE standards 62.1 and 90.1) to better match thecomfort needs of a preponderance of building occupants by tying feedbackdirectly to the building's energy management system. For example, if 90%of the occupants in a convention center feel too chilly, airconditioning set points may be raised slightly and energy consumptionreduced.

Particular embodiments capture crowd sourced comfort level informationperiodically via a simple icon based interface. Occupants may receive asimple periodic query—perhaps via text message, via Twitter, or otherplatforms—asking them to characterize their comfort level (e.g. verycold, somewhat cold, comfortable, warm, very warm). Users may thenrespond using the system interface shown and described herein. Takentogether, this data would inform building facility managers, anddirectly influence building HVAC set points. Looking beyond the buildingboundary, in various embodiments, this aggregated data may be sharedon-line in a Google maps-type interface where users could mouse overbuildings and see reports in the aggregate (e.g. how many, and when,users reported being uncomfortable). These reports would be updated overtime based on user feedback. Such user feedback would motivate buildingowners to react, due to the potential positive or negative occupantratings that could have a real effect on the property's value. At thesame time, building owners could voluntarily report improvement they hadmade to their buildings at the same web based platform. Theseembodiments would thus actively support building owners who takeproactive steps to provide the most comfortable and energy efficientbuildings.

Application deployment/partnership options may include: Eventregistration sites; Employer databases/corporate sustainabilityleadership; Hotels; Public Transit/trains, etc. Additional applicationsmay include power supply impacts—facility owners, utilities, and gridoperators could use this platform to communicate important grid and airquality data to building occupants. For example, a preponderance ofbuilding occupants might be willing to tolerate a slightly higher indoortemperature during a hot summer day if they knew that by shedding thatload, grid operators could avoid starting coal fired peaking powerplants. In other words, these embodiments may complement and augmentexisting demand response programs.

Also, by use of relatively high resolution location data, e.g., by useof QR Codes, microGPS, etc., facility operators may begin to betterunderstand HVAC design and operation problems at the distribution level,targeting solutions such as more localized controls, VAV (Variable AirVolume) box operation, or other conditions (e.g. excessive passivesolar) addressing tenant comfort concerns and related energy use.

Building owners and users could capture more value from the app overtime by pushing more and more sophisticated questions to app users,particularly repeat users, including questions like: “how would you ratethe air quality in your building?” Occupants who participate in usingthese embodiments will be providing valuable data on the buildingsystems, but will also be educating building managers about theirpreferences. This understanding will allow building owners and employersto place workers in environments with similar temperature preferences topotentially improve work satisfaction and productivity. Repeat users maybuild a profile and climate preference.

For the purposes of the present specification, the term “transaction”shall be taken to include any communications between two or moreentities and shall be construed to include, but not be limited to,transferring data including reports and responses between computers,downloading software applications or “apps” including graphical userinterface components, and commercial transactions including sale andpurchase transactions, and the like.

As used herein, the terms “computer” and “end-user device” are meant toencompass a workstation, personal computer, personal digital assistant(PDA) or smart phone, wireless telephone, tablet, or any other suitablecomputing device including a processor, a computer readable medium uponwhich computer readable program code (including instructions and/ordata) may be disposed, and a user interface. Terms such as “server”,“application”, “engine” and the like are intended to refer to acomputer-related component, including hardware, software, and/orsoftware in execution. For example, an engine may be, but is not limitedto being, a process running on a processor, a processor including anobject, an executable, a thread of execution, a program, and a computer.Moreover, the various components may be localized on one computer and/ordistributed between two or more computers. The terms “real-time” and“on-demand” refer to sensing and responding to external events nearlysimultaneously (e.g., within milliseconds or microseconds) with theiroccurrence, or without intentional delay, given the processinglimitations of the system and the time required to accurately respond tothe inputs.

Terms such as “component,” “module”, “control components/devices,”“messenger component or service,” and the like are intended to refer toa computer-related entity, either hardware, a combination of hardwareand software, software, or software in execution. For example, acomponent may be, but is not limited to being, a process running on aprocessor, a processor, an object, an executable, a thread of execution,a program, and a computer. By way of illustration, both an applicationrunning on a server and the server (or control related devices) can becomponents. One or more components may reside within a process and/orthread of execution and a component may be localized on one computerand/or distributed between two or more computers or control devices.

As used in any embodiment herein, the term “module” may refer tosoftware, firmware and/or circuitry configured to perform any of theaforementioned operations. Software may be embodied as a softwarepackage, code, instructions, instruction sets and/or data recorded onnon-transitory computer readable storage medium. Firmware may beembodied as code, instructions or instruction sets and/or data that arehard-coded (e.g., nonvolatile) in memory devices. “Circuitry”, as usedin any embodiment herein, may comprise, for example, singly or in anycombination, hardwired circuitry, programmable circuitry such ascomputer processors comprising one or more individual instructionprocessing cores, state machine circuitry, and/or firmware that storesinstructions executed by programmable circuitry. The modules may,collectively or individually, be embodied as circuitry that forms partof a larger system, for example, an integrated circuit (IC), systemon-chip (SoC), desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers,servers, smart phones, etc.

Any of the operations described herein may be implemented in a systemthat includes one or more storage mediums having stored thereon,individually or in combination, instructions that when executed by oneor more processors perform the methods. Here, the processor may include,for example, a server CPU, a mobile device CPU, and/or otherprogrammable circuitry.

Also, it is intended that operations described herein may be distributedacross a plurality of physical devices, such as processing structures atmore than one different physical location. The storage medium mayinclude any type of tangible medium, for example, any type of diskincluding hard disks, floppy disks, optical disks, compact diskread-only memories (CD-ROMs), compact disk rewritables (CD-RWs), andmagneto-optical disks, semiconductor devices such as read-only memories(ROMs), random access memories (RAMs) such as dynamic and static RAMs,erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memories (EEPROMs), flash memories, Solid StateDisks (SSDs), magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitablefor storing electronic instructions. Other embodiments may beimplemented as software modules executed by a programmable controldevice. The storage medium may be non-transitory.

As described herein, various embodiments may be implemented usinghardware elements, software elements, or any combination thereof.Examples of hardware elements may include processors, microprocessors,circuits, circuit elements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors,inductors, and so forth), integrated circuits, application specificintegrated circuits (ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digitalsignal processors (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), logicgates, registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets,and so forth.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiment is includedin at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in oneembodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout thisspecification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics maybe combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used asterms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention,in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalentsof the features shown and described (or portions thereof), and it isrecognized that various modifications are possible within the scope ofthe claims. Accordingly, the claims are intended to cover all suchequivalents.

The system and method embodying the present invention can be programmedin any suitable language and technology, such as, but not limited to:C++; Visual Basic; Java; VBScript; Jscript; BCMAscript; DHTM1; XML andCGI. Alternative versions may be developed using other programminglanguages including, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), ActiveServerPages (ASP) and Javascript. Any suitable database technology canbe employed, such as, but not limited to, Microsoft SQL Server or IBM AS400.

Referring now to the figures, embodiments of the present invention willbe more thoroughly described.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary network-basedtransaction facility in the form of an Internet-based report generationand aggregation facility 10. The report facility 10 includes one or moreof a number of types of front-end servers, namely page servers 12 thatdeliver web pages (e.g., markup language reports), picture servers 14that dynamically deliver images to be displayed within Web pages, CGI(Common Gateway Interface) servers 18 that provide an intelligentinterface to the back-end of facility 10, and search servers 20 thathandle search requests to the facility 10. E-mail/communication servers21 provide, inter alia, automated e-mail (and optionally, text and/orsocial media) communications to users of the facility 10. The back-endservers may include a database engine server 22, a search index server24 and a payment (e.g., credit card and/or subscription) database server26, each of which may maintain and facilitate access to a respectivedatabase. Facility 10 may also include an administrative applicationserver 28 configured to provide various administrative functions.

The network-based report generation and aggregation facility 10 may beaccessed by a client program 30, such as a browser (e.g., the InternetExplorer distributed by Microsoft) that executes on a client machine 32such as a smart phone, and accesses the facility 10 via a network suchas, for example, the Internet 34. Other examples of networks that aclient may utilize to access the facility 10 include a wide area network(WAN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless network (e.g., a cellularnetwork), or the Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) network.

FIG. 2 is a database diagram illustrating an exemplary database 23,maintained by and accessed via the database engine server 22, which atleast partially implements and supports the report generation andaggregation facility 10. The database 23 may, in one embodiment, beimplemented as a relational database, and includes a number of tableshaving entries, or records, that are linked by indices and keys. In analternative embodiment, the database 23 may be implemented as collectionof objects in an object-oriented database.

As shown, central to the database 23 is a user table 40, which containsa record for each user of the facility 10. The database 23 also includestables 42 that may be linked to the user table 40. Specifically, thetables 42 may include property report (e.g., geo-located buildingreport) table 44, and various property specific tables, such as abuilding locations table 45, inspection list table 46, comfort rulestable 50, and a user-customizable table 52. A user record in the usertable 40 may be linked to multiple reports that are being, or have been,generated via the facility 10 and for which records exist within thereport tables 42. The database 23 may also include a comment table 48populatable with comment records that may be linked to one or morereport records within the report tables 42. A number of other tables mayalso be linked to the user table 40, such as an accounts table 56, anaccount balances table 58 and a transaction record table 60.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary embodiment ofthe user table 40 that is populated with records, or entries, for eachuser of the facility 10. As shown, table 40 includes a user identifiercolumn 61 that stores a unique identifier for each user. A name column63 may store a first name, a middle initial and a last name for eachuser. An address column 65 may store address information and/or othercontact information for each user, e.g. an employer name, and/or streetname and number, city, zip code, state, email address, etc. A phonenumber column 67 stores a phone (e.g., mobile) number for each user. Apermission status column 69 may store, for each user, a valueidentifying the user's permission status, i.e., the user's ability toaccess particular features of the system, such as those typicallyprovided to a manager or other user tasked with responding to particularreports, etc. It should be recognized that the amount of informationstored may vary depending on the permission level assigned to theparticular user. Table 40 may also store any additional information thatmay be desired for particular applications. For example, subscriptioninformation may be recorded (not shown), in which different values maybe assigned to indicate whether a user has a currently validsubscription, has an expired subscription (which may provide onlylimited access to facility 10). It will be appreciated that anyinformation other than that described above may populate the user table40 without loss of generality.

FIG. 4A is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary embodiment of atable 44 populated with property report records generated during use ofthe report generation facility 10. As shown, table 44 includes aproperty ID column 60 to identify particular properties, a locationID/QR column 62 to track particular locations, e.g., as designated witha QR Code or similar tag placed at the location, a property rules column64 to provide a pointer or other reference to maintenance lists 45,inspection lists 46, comfort rules tables 50, and/or user-customizabletable 52, associated with the particular property. A room type column 66provides the type of space tagged by the QR Code, e.g., conference room,private office, etc. Report content column 68 is populated with theactual content of a report generated by the system, along with the UserID of the individual responsible for generating the report.

It will be appreciated that in particular embodiments, other descriptiveinformation may also populate table 44, without departing from the scopeof the present invention. For example, additional columns may beprovided to capture information regarding the number of employeestypically occupying a particular room type, and/or the number of roomsof a particular room type in the property or HVAC zone. Yet anothercolumn, for example, may identify the HVAC zone within which aparticular location ID/QR Code is located.

Turning now to FIGS. 4B and 4C, information used to populate table 44may be obtained from a floor plan 85 (FIG. 4B) of a particular property,which as shown, has been segregated into various room types, such aslarge workspaces 86, common areas 87, individual offices 88, andconference rooms 89. In FIG. 4C, some of the room types have optionallybeen associated with additional information, such as typical occupancylevels (for Large Workspaces), and the number of rooms of a particulartype, e.g., Individual Offices and Conference Rooms.

As mentioned hereinabove, embodiments of the present invention providegeo-located mobile application that allows employees and managers toreport comfort levels and maintenance issues from anywhere, easily andinstantaneously. This information is processed through a cloud-basedreport aggregation server(s) and shared with managers in real-timethrough a secure portal that provides comfort and maintenanceinformation, optionally including preventive maintenance such asinspection lists, in aggregated reports. This data can be used to engageemployees, improve workflow, drive operational savings, and optimizeorganizational performance.

These embodiments enable such report generation and aggregation in areal-time, web-based, client-server environment. While the presentinvention is discussed within the environment of the exemplary reportaggregation facility 10, it will readily be appreciated that the presentinvention may be used in any number of environments including networkand on-line based transaction facilities in business-to-business,business-to-consumer and consumer-to-consumer applications.

FIG. 5 is a simplified block diagram of a system 90 for generatingreports in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. In this embodiment, a client computer 92 is coupled to atransaction computer 98 via a communications network (e.g. a wide areanetwork) 94. The client computer 92 represents a device that allows auser to interact with the report generation and aggregation facility 10or any other transaction facility 98. In one embodiment, the clientcomputer 92 presents to the user a report generation interface forgenerating reports and viewing content aggregated be the transactioncomputer 98.

The transaction computer 98, which supports a facility such as shown at10 of FIG. 1C, handles transactions between various participants of thefacility 10 including the user of the client computer 92. In oneembodiment, the transaction computer 98 may initially receive thepersonal information of the participant from the client computer 92, andgenerate a subscription result which determines whether, and to whatextent, the user is granted access to the facility 10. The transactioncomputer then facilitates the aggregation of reports in accordance withvarious user interfaces presented by the computer 98, via the clientcomputer 92, to the user.

FIG. 6 shows a series 100 of interfaces/modules, such as may take theform of a series of objects (or methods), that may be implemented by thereport aggregation facility 10, e.g., in combination with the varioustables of database 23, for the purposes of generating and aggregatingreports. The series 100 of interface modules shown in FIG. 6 will bedescribed with reference to exemplary representations of the variousinterfaces as shown in FIGS. 8-18. It should be noted that the variousmodules may reside and operate on the facility 10 or alternatively, oneor more of the modules, or components thereof, may be initiallydownloaded from the facility 10, e.g., as an application or “app”, forinstallation on a user's smart phone, tablet or other user device 32.The skilled artisan will recognize that distribution of some componentsonto user devices may provide benefits such as reducing the amount ofcommunication traffic between the user devices and the facility 10.

As shown, series 100 includes a login module 102, configured to generatea login interface through which a user of the facility 10 provides atleast a user identifier and associated password. The login module mayinclude a permissions module configured to provide selective access tothe server by one or more users in accordance with permissions assignedto each user, e.g., based on whether the user is an employee of abuilding tenant or other building occupant, or whether the user is amanager or other responsible party having authority to address reportsaggregated by the facility 10. Optionally, some users, such as theaforementioned manager, may also be requested to pay a subscription feefor access to the system.

A report access module 104 is configured to generate a report interface,such as shown at 200 in FIG. 8. Module 104 interacts with the varioustables of database 23 (FIG. 1C) to enable a user to generate a newreport by scanning a QR code at 202 (FIG. 9), using geo-location module106, or by looking up a particular location, e.g., within a particularbuilding at 204 (FIG. 10), which then permits the user to select thetype of report at 206 (FIG. 11). Selecting “Rate Thermal Comfort”actuates thermal module 108, while selecting “Report a MaintenanceIssue” actuates maintenance module 110, both of which permit the user tosupply data, such as a thermal rating at 208 of FIG. 12 and/or amaintenance request at 210 of FIG. 13. An optional time-stamp module 126is configured to store a time stamp denoting the time of creation and/orstorage at the server, of each building report.

The reports are uploaded from the user devices 32 to the facility 10(FIG. 1C) where aggregation module 112 aggregates and stores them indatabase 23 (FIG. 2). An optional Comment/Customize module 114 permits auser to add custom text or images to the report, such as at 210 of FIG.13, and/or to comment on others' reports, such as by selecting the‘agree’ icon to support others' reports as shown at 212 of FIG. 14. RuleStorage module 116 enables rules to be uploaded for storage in tables45, 46, 50 and/or 52 (FIG. 2), and/or accessed during responses asdiscussed hereinbelow. View/Sort module 118 actuates the interfaces 212and 214 of FIGS. 14 and 15 to display aggregated reports from one ormore users. Response/Notification module 120 actuates interfaces 216,218 and 220 of FIGS. 16A-16C, which permit the user, which in thisinstance is a responsible party such as a manager having relatively highlevel permissions, to access the system to select specific reports tosee detail and manage reports. Examples include adding a detailedcomment (FIG. 16A), entering or changing status of a report, e.g.,‘resolved’ (FIG. 16B), which may include automatically notifying theuser who originally submitted the report, and/or assigning the report toanother user (colleague) for appropriate action (FIG. 16C), which mayalso include automatically notifying the assignee. It is noted that thenotifications provided by module 120 may be accomplished automaticallyin any convenient manner, such as via email, text, etc., or via in-appnotification, using email/communication server 21 (FIG. 1C). An exampleof an in-app notification is shown in FIG. 17, in which an ‘assigned tome’ interface 222 may display all reports that have been assigned to aparticular user for resolution.

In addition to automatic notifications, response module 120 may alsoprovide other automatic responses. For example, module 120 mayautomatically adjust building controls (e.g., HVAC controls) inaccordance with the predetermined rules, e.g., comfort rule table 50,for the particular property, which may be accessed by rule storagemodule 116. One example of a rule table 50 is shown in FIG. 4D. In thisexample, system 10 has received and aggregated temperature reports from30 out of 38 users located in a particular HVAC zone. As also shown, 20of the users are requesting a temperature increase, while 5 arerequesting a decrease, and 5 are requesting no temperature change. Therule table includes a weighting rule, which in this example, is prorata, with 50 percent of the neutral ‘no change’ weightings beingsubtracted from each of the ‘increase’ and ‘decrease’ weights. Anincrease/decrease weighting rule subtracts the ‘decrease’ weighting fromthe ‘increase’ weighting, to yield a net weighting which if positive,corresponds to a percentage increase, and if negative corresponds to apercentage decrease of the ‘Max Change’ in temperature parameter. In theexample shown, the aggregated reports produce a net weighting of +0.50which dictates a positive adjustment of 50 percent of the ‘Max Change’parameter of 5 degrees, to yield a recommended increase of 2.5 degrees.This recommended change may be effected automatically, by a transmissionto the building HVAC system, or alternatively, may be sent to theinterface 218 of FIG. 16B for action by a manager or other responsibleparty.

Response module 120 may also include an inspection module 122 configuredto generate and populate a checklist display 224 such as shown in FIG.18. The checklist interface enables a user to identify, e.g., with acheckmark, the particular asset being inspected. Aggregation module 124serves to store and aggregate the various reports, including anycomments/customization and responses, while also providing variousreporting capabilities such as shown at 82 of FIG. 1B, and as will bediscussed in greater detail hereinbelow.

Exemplary methods associated with system 100 of the present invention,will now be described as illustrated by the flow chart of FIGS. 7A and7B.

Referring now to FIG. 7A, a method 700 for configuring the system forenvironmental comfort use at a particular property is shown anddescribed. At 708, a list of rooms, including common areas, for theproperty is obtained, e.g., using floor plans such as shown in FIG. 4B,or created by touring the property and counting rooms, etc. At 710, alist of locations of interest within the rooms is generated. At 712,unique tags, such as individualized QR Codes, are generated for eachlocation of interest. At 714, the tags are placed at the locations ofinterest, e.g., by printing the QR Codes onto markers which arephysically placed at their corresponding locations. It should be notedthat the locations of interest may be determined as granularly asdesired. For example, a single room may have multiple tags, such as tocapture comfort data at opposite ends of a large conference table. At716, each location of interest is optionally mapped to an HVAC zone inthe building. At 718, a set of rules (e.g., comfort, maintenance,inspection, etc.) rules is set for the particular property, e.g., todetermine how often and how much the temperature can be changed by thesystem within an HVAC zone, etc. At 720, user contact information iscaptured and stored to table(s) 40, and notification, e.g., by email,text, social media, etc., is sent to employees or occupants of theproperty letting them know about the system and providing instruction onhow to use it.

Referring now to FIG. 7B, a method 702 for operating system 100 is shownand described. As shown, the method 702 commences with enabling thelogin module at 730 to provide user interface information to a user ofthe transaction facility at client 32 (FIG. 1). More specifically, theuser interface information may provide a login interface via loginmodule 102 (FIG. 6). Subsequent to the login by the user, at 732 thereport access module is actuated to generate a report interfacedisplayable on the client computers to enable the users to generate oneor more building reports in the form of (i) thermal reports using athermal report module, and/or (ii) maintenance reports using amaintenance report module. At 734, the geo-location module 106 isactuated to assign a location within the building to each buildingreport. At 736, the aggregation module 112 is actuated to receive thebuilding reports from the client computers, and to store and aggregatethe building reports at the server. At 738, the View/Sort module 118sorts the aggregated reports according to their assigned locations, andtransmits the sorted reports to the one or more client computers fordisplay. At 740, rule storage module 116 is actuated to store anycomfort rules for the building that have not previously been loaded intodatabase 23 (FIG. 1C). At 742, Response/Notification module 120 isactuated to (i) permit a manager at a client computer to access theserver to select for response, and assign a response status, toparticular reports, and/or (ii) automatically respond and assign aresponse status to particular reports in accordance with said set ofcomfort rules. At 744, checklist storage module 122 is actuated to storea list of preventative maintenance items for the building. At 746,inspection module 124 is actuated to generate and populate a checklistinterface on the user device, the checklist interface configured todisplay the list of preventative maintenance tasks, each of the tasksbeing user-selectable to designate completion of each individual task.At 748, the aggregation module 112 is actuated to store the status ofthe reports.

Various optional additions to method 702 are shown in flowchart 704 ofFIG. 7C. As shown, at 750, report access module 104 is actuated topermit a client computer to generate a building report by scanning a QRcode disposed at a predetermined location within the building. At 752,report access module 104 is actuated to permit a client computer togenerate a building report by looking up a particular location withinthe building. At 754, report access module 104 is actuated to permit aclient computer to apply a thermal comfort rating to one or more of thethermal reports. At 756, report access module 104 is actuated to permita client computer to apply a maintenance request to one or moremaintenance reports. At 758, optional time-stamp module 126 is actuatedto store a time stamp denoting the time of creation and/or storage atthe server, of each building report. At 760, optional Comment/Customizemodule 114 is actuated to permit a user at a client computer to addcustom text and/or images to a report. At 762, step 760 further includespermitting the user to comment on reports. At 766, Response/Notificationmodule 120 is actuated to automatically adjust the environmental controlsystem in accordance with the predetermined rules for the building. At768, Response/Notification module 120 is configured to aggregate andassign weights to reports associated with a particular location, and touse the weights to generate a control signal to adjust one or moreoperational parameters of the environmental control system. At 770,Response/Notification module 120 is actuated to permit a user, via theone or more client computers, to add a comment to one or more reports.At 772, step 770 further includes permitting a manager, via the one ormore client computers, to assign one or more reports to one or moreparticular users for response.

It should be recognized that in the embodiments shown and describedhereinabove, heat maps, such as shown at 82 in FIG. 1B, may beautomatically generated and displayed in the user device interface(s)once thermal reports are aggregated. Moreover, as reports come innotifications may be provided directly to the individuals who need them.For example a comfort report may be delivered directly to the smartphone device of the person who manages the building management system,but a report on the generator may go to the device of an appropriateEnvironmental Health and Safety professional.

Particular embodiments may also be configured to accept an initiation ofa temperature change by any individual who works in a particular zone.This process may be generally the same for every kind of occupied officespace except the individual office on a single room zone. In that case,the occupant could increase the set-point on his or her own (withinnormal set-point ranges).

In addition to the rules in the temperature adjustment example shown anddescribed hereinabove, the temperature change mechanism may have anynumber of additional rules, such as those that limit the number ofchanges that can be initiated by per day or per hour. Moreover, therules may be space (zone) specific. The rules are typically set by theemployer, or building manager and may be adjusted easily as needed.

Once a temperature change is initiated all of the employees in the zonemay be notified by any convenient method. An exemplary notification maystate:

“An individual in your zone is uncomfortable and has requested atemperature change. Your feedback is important so please let us knowyour preference to increase, decrease or maintain the currenttemperature. To do so please open the CrowdComfort application andprovide your choice. In order for us to account for your temperaturepreference we will need your participation within 5 minutes of receiptof this notice.”

After the 5 minute period the votes may be tabulated by embodiments ofthe present invention.

It should also be recognized that data may be gathered an accumulatedand a profile generated for each user submitting a comfort report. Forindividuals that are often uncomfortable, managers may begin to addresstheir levels at an individual level as opposed to at the system/zonelevel. Moreover, users who are habitual outliers may be accorded lessweight than other users. Still further, although QR Codes have beenshown and described as a convenient geo-location device, otherapproaches for geo-location may include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, I-Beacon, RFIDor other location method to send the notification only to people withina particular zone.

It should also be recognized that although the various embodiments havebeen shown and described with respect to particular buildings, theembodiments need not be limited solely to interior applications. Rather,the embodiments may be applied to various property types, includingbuildings and campuses having both interior and exterior locations ofinterest, including rooftop decks and equipment, courtyards, patios,etc., for which it may be desirable to receive and aggregate comfort,maintenance, and/or inspection reports.

FIG. 19 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in theexemplary form of a computer system 300 within which a set ofinstructions, for causing the machine to perform any one of themethodologies discussed above, may be executed. In alternativeembodiments, the machine may include a network router, a network switch,a network bridge, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellulartelephone, a web appliance or any machine capable of executing asequence of instructions that specify actions to be taken by thatmachine.

The computer system 300 includes a processor 302, a main memory 304 anda static memory 306, which communicate with each other via a bus 308.The computer system 300 may further include a video display unit 310(e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma, cathode ray tube (CRT),etc.). The computer system 300 may also include an alpha-numeric inputdevice 312 (e.g., a keyboard or touchscreen), a cursor control device314 (e.g., a mouse), a drive (e.g., disk, flash memory, etc.) unit 316,a signal generation device 320 (e.g., a speaker) and a network interfacedevice 322.

The drive unit 316 includes a computer-readable medium 324 on which isstored a set of instructions (i.e., software) 326 embodying any one, orall, of the methodologies described above. The software 326 is alsoshown to reside, completely or at least partially, within the mainmemory 304 and/or within the processor 302. The software 326 may furtherbe transmitted or received via the network interface device 322. For thepurposes of this specification, the term “computer-readable medium”shall be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing orencoding a sequence of instructions for execution by the computer andthat cause the computer to perform any one of the methodologies of thepresent invention, and as further described hereinbelow.

Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention include a computerprogram code-based product, which includes a computer readable storagemedium having program code stored therein which can be used to instructa computer to perform any of the functions, methods and/or modulesassociated with the present invention. The non-transitory computerreadable medium includes any of, but not limited to, the following:CD-ROM, DVD, magnetic tape, optical disc, hard drive, floppy disk,ferroelectric memory, flash memory, phase-change memory, ferromagneticmemory, optical storage, charge coupled devices, magnetic or opticalcards, smart cards, EEPROM, EPROM, RAM, ROM, DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, and/orany other appropriate static, dynamic, or volatile memory or datastorage devices, but does not include a transitory signal per se.

The above systems are implemented in various computing environments. Forexample, the present invention may be implemented on a conventional IBMPC or equivalent, multi-nodal system (e.g., LAN) or networking system(e.g., Internet, WWW, wireless web). All programming and data relatedthereto are stored in computer memory, static or dynamic ornon-volatile, and may be retrieved by the user in any of: conventionalcomputer storage, display (e.g., CRT, flat panel LCD, plasma, etc.)and/or hardcopy (i.e., printed) formats. The programming of the presentinvention may be implemented by one skilled in the art of computersystems and/or software design.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of an exemplarysystem 10 for providing an augmented reality-like interface for themanagement and maintenance of building systems, specifically themechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems within a building,including the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems.

As shown, the system 10 includes a central management information system12 embodied on an internet-based computing system/service. For example,as shown, the system 12 may be embodied on a cloud-based service 14, forexample. The system 12 is configured to communicate and share data withone or more users 15(1)-15(n) via user mobile devices 16(a)-16(n) over anetwork 18. In the present context, the users 15(1)-15(n) may includeadministrators, customers, or clients of a service provided to one ormore remote users via the system 12. The users 15(1)-15(n) may alsoinclude particular persons to which the service is directed.

For example, the system 12 may generally be configured to correlatecrowd-sourced data with building automation system data and output anaugmented reality-like interface to one or more users 15 responsiblefor, or otherwise associated with, control or maintenance over thebuilding systems, such as a facilities manager or a building maintenanceengineer. The augmented reality-like interface generally provides avisual rendering of a piece of equipment or component of a buildingsystem and further includes information associated with at least one ofthe operating parameters, visual diagnostics, and maintenance status ofthe component. The interface allows for a user to interact with thevisual rendering to control different parameters of the component and/oraddress any maintenance issues, as based on the crowdsourced data.

The system 10 may further include at least a first remote server 20including the crowdsourced data 22 and a second remote server 24including building automation system data 26. The central managementinformation system 12 may be configured to communicate with both thefirst and second remote servers 20 and 24 and receive the associateddate therefrom for the purpose of providing the augmented reality-likeinterface to a user 15 and their associated mobile device 16 over thenetwork 18, as will be described in greater detail herein.

For example, the crowd-sourced data may generally be collected frompatrons or employees within a space and may be related to comfort issuessuch as HVAC (e.g., temperature of a particular room within a building),building maintenance issues (e.g., lighting issues, cleanliness offacilities, etc.), as well as other aspects of a building or space thatmay be useful in management of such space. The building automationsystem data may generally include information related to individualpieces of equipment or components for any given environmental systemwithin a space (i.e., within the building). The equipment informationmay include, but is not limited to, equipment specifications, operatingparameters of the equipment, equipment diagnostics, as well asmaintenance status of the equipment. The building automation system datamay further include one or more files including one or more visualrenderings of the equipment, including still images and moving images(two-dimensional and three-dimensional) for providing visualillustration of the equipment and the internal components of theequipment, as well as illustrations depicting real-time diagnostics ofthe component while in operation.

The network 18 may represent, for example, a private or non-privatelocal area network (LAN), personal area network (PAN), storage areanetwork (SAN), backbone network, global area network (GAN), wide areanetwork (WAN), or collection of any such computer networks such as anintranet, extranet or the Internet (i.e., a global system ofinterconnected network upon which various applications or service runincluding, for example, the World Wide Web). In alternative embodiments,the communication path between the mobile devices 16, between the mobiledevices 16 and the cloud-based service 14 and/or the external computingdevice/system/server 22, may be, in whole or in part, a wiredconnection. Accordingly, the mobile device 16 may be embodied as anytype of device for communicating with the system 12 and cloud-basedservice 14, and/or other user devices over the network 18. For example,at least one of the user devices may be embodied as, without limitation,a computer, a desktop computer, a personal computer (PC), a tabletcomputer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a mobile computingdevice, a smart phone, a cellular telephone, a handset, a messagingdevice, a work station, a distributed computing system, a multiprocessorsystem, a processor-based system, and/or any other computing deviceconfigured to store and access data, and/or to execute software andrelated applications consistent with the present disclosure. In theembodiments described here, the mobile device 16 is generally embodiedas a smartphone or tablet computer having an interactive display forallowing a user 15 to interact with the augmented reality-likeinterface.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating the central managementinformation system 12 in greater detail. As shown, the system 12 mayinclude an interface 28, a data collection and management module 30, acorrelation module 32, and one or more databases 34 for data relateddata received from the mobile devices 16. For example, the datacollection and management module 30 may be configured to communicate andexchange data with at least the correlation module 32 and one or moredatabases 34, each of which is described in greater detail herein.

The interface 28 may generally allow a user (e.g., facilities manager ormaintenance worker) to access the service provided by the system 12. Forexample, upon accessing the system 12 on the cloud-based service 14, theinterface 28 may be presented to the user via their device 16, in whichthe user may navigate a dashboard or standard platform interface so asbegin interaction with the service provided. In particular, theinterface 28 may allow a user 15 to scan a QR code and, in turn, thesystem 12 is configured to provide the user with an augmentedreality-like interface in which a visual rendering of a piece ofequipment associated with the room or wall or space in which the QR codeis located, as will be described in greater detail herein.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating at least one embodiment of amobile device 16 for allowing a user to utilize the service provided bythe system 10 and to further display the augmented reality-likeinterface provided by the system 12. The mobile device 16 generallyincludes a computing system 100. As shown, the computing system 100includes one or more processors, such as processor 102. Processor 102 isoperably connected to communication infrastructure 104 (e.g., acommunications bus, cross-over bar, or network). The processor 102 maybe embodied as any type of processor capable of performing the functionsdescribed herein. For example, the processor may be embodied as a singleor multi-core processor(s), digital signal processor, microcontroller,or other processor or processing/controlling circuit.

The computing system 100 further includes a display interface 106 thatforwards graphics, text, sounds, and other data from communicationinfrastructure 104 (or from a frame buffer not shown) for display ondisplay unit 108. The computing system further includes input devices110. The input devices 110 may include one or more devices forinteracting with the mobile device 16, such as a keypad, microphone,camera, as well as other input components, including motion sensors, andthe like. In one embodiment, the display unit 108 may include atouch-sensitive display (also known as “touch screens” or“touchscreens”), in addition to, or as an alternative to, physicalpush-button keyboard or the like. The touch screen may generally displaygraphics and text, as well as provides a user interface (e.g., but notlimited to graphical user interface (GUI)) through which a user mayinteract with the mobile device 16, such as accessing and interactingwith applications executed on the device 16, including an app forproviding direct user input with the augmented reality-like interface.

The computing system 100 further includes main memory 112, such asrandom access memory (RAM), and may also include secondary memory 114.The main memory 112 and secondary memory 114 may be embodied as any typeof device or devices configured for short-term or long-term storage ofdata such as, for example, memory devices and circuits, memory cards,hard disk drives, solid-state drives, or other data storage devices.Similarly, the memory 112, 114 may be embodied as any type of volatileor non-volatile memory or data storage capable of performing thefunctions described herein.

In the illustrative embodiment, the mobile device 16 may maintain one ormore application programs, databases, media and/or other information inthe main and/or secondary memory 112, 114. The secondary memory 114 mayinclude, for example, a hard disk drive 116 and/or removable storagedrive 118, representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, anoptical disk drive, etc. Removable storage drive 118 reads from and/orwrites to removable storage unit 120 in any known manner. The removablestorage unit 120 may represents a floppy disk, magnetic tape, opticaldisk, etc. which is read by and written to by removable storage drive118. As will be appreciated, removable storage unit 120 includes acomputer usable storage medium having stored therein computer softwareand/or data.

In alternative embodiments, the secondary memory 114 may include othersimilar devices for allowing computer programs or other instructions tobe loaded into the computing system 100. Such devices may include, forexample, a removable storage unit 124 and interface 122. Examples ofsuch may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such asthat found in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as anerasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), or programmable readonly memory (PROM)) and associated socket, and other removable storageunits 124 and interfaces 122, which allow software and data to betransferred from removable storage unit 124 to the computing system 100.

The computing system 100 further includes one or more applicationprograms 126 directly stored thereon. The application program(s) 126 mayinclude any number of different software application programs, eachconfigured to execute a specific task.

The computing system 100 further includes a communications interface128. The communications interface 128 may be embodied as anycommunication circuit, device, or collection thereof, capable ofenabling communications between the mobile device 16 external devices(other mobile devices 16, the cloud-based service 14, and the externalcomputing system/server 22). The communications interface 128 may beconfigured to use any one or more communication technology andassociated protocols, as described above, to effect such communication.For example, the communications interface 128 may be configured tocommunicate and exchange data with the server 12, the external computingsystem/server 22 and/or one other mobile device 16 via a wirelesstransmission protocol including, but not limited to, Bluetoothcommunication, infrared communication, near field communication (NFC),radio-frequency identification (RFID) communication, cellular networkcommunication, the most recently published versions of IEEE 802.11transmission protocol standards as of June 2015, and a combinationthereof. Examples of communications interface 228 may include a modem, anetwork interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, aPersonal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) slotand card, wireless communication circuitry, etc.

Computer programs (also referred to as computer control logic) may bestored in main memory 112 and/or secondary memory 114 or a localdatabase on the mobile device 16. Computer programs may also be receivedvia communications interface 128. Such computer programs, when executed,enable the computing system 100 to perform the features of the presentinvention, as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs,including application programs 126, when executed, enable processor 102to perform the features of the present invention. Accordingly, suchcomputer programs represent controllers of computer system 100.

In one embodiment where the invention is implemented using software, thesoftware may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into thecomputing system 100 using removable storage drive 118, hard drive 116or communications interface 128. The control logic (software), whenexecuted by processor 102, causes processor 102 to perform the functionsof the invention as described herein.

In another embodiment, the invention is implemented primarily inhardware using, for example, hardware components such as applicationspecific integrated circuits (ASICs). Implementation of the hardwarestate machine so as to perform the functions described herein will beapparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s).

In yet another embodiment, the invention is implemented using acombination of both hardware and software.

The present invention includes a system for providing an augmentedreality-like interface for the management and maintenance of buildingsystems, specifically mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systemswithin a building, which may include heating, ventilation, andair-conditioning (HVAC) systems. In particular, the system includes acentral management information system is configured to correlatecrowd-sourced data with building automation system data and output anaugmented reality-like interface to one or more users responsible for,or otherwise associated with, control or maintenance over the buildingsystems, such as a facilities manager or a building maintenanceengineer. The augmented reality-like interface generally provides avisual rendering of a piece of equipment or component of a buildingsystem and further includes information associated with at least one ofthe operating parameters, visual diagnostics, and maintenance status ofthe equipment. The interface allows for a user to interact with thevisual rendering to control different parameters of the component and/oraddress any maintenance issues, as based on the crowdsourced data.

For example, the crowd-sourced data may generally be collected frompatrons or employees within a space and may be related to comfort issuessuch as HVAC (e.g., temperature of a particular room within a building),building maintenance issues (e.g., lighting issues, cleanliness offacilities, etc.), as well as other aspects of a building or space thatmay be useful in management of such space. The building automationsystem data may generally include information related to individualpieces of equipment or components for any given environmental systemwithin a space (i.e., within the building). The equipment informationmay include, but is not limited to, equipment specifications, operatingparameters of the equipment, equipment diagnostics, as well asmaintenance status of the equipment. The building automation system datamay further include one or more files including one or more visualrenderings of the equipment, including still images and moving images(two-dimensional and three-dimensional) for providing visualillustration of the equipment and the internal components of theequipment, as well as illustrations depicting real-time diagnostics ofthe component while in operation.

The central management information system 12 is configured to receiveboth crowdsourced data (data related to patron comfort levels ormaintenance issues, as well as QR codes associated with such data) andbuilding automation system data (e.g., data related to the environmentalcontrol systems (e.g., HVAC system and individual equipment)) to providea facility manager/operator with an augmented reality-like graphicalinterface with which they may interact to address any requiredmaintenance or equipment issues. For example, in some embodiments, thesystem is configured to recognize when a user cans a QR code at a givenlocation. The QR codes, or similar tags, may be placed at specificlocations within a building, and, upon scanning the QR code, the systemis configured to receive crowdsourced data associated with theparticular QR code and further receive building automation system databased on the scanning event. In particular, the QR code may act as anidentifier, signaling the system to receive data associated with a givenpiece of equipment or system at the particular location in which the QRcode is location. For example, a user (e.g., building maintenanceworker) may scan a QR code within a given office within a building,wherein the system is then configured to receive the scanning event,receive crowdsourced data associated with the scanning event, andfurther pull up schematics and/or a list of equipment within the wallsof the office. The system provides such equipment information to theuser on the user's mobile device via an augmented reality-like graphicalinterface. The equipment information may further provide a user withpotential problems if connected to a central facility management system.The equipment information may further provide the user with anymaintenance and inspections that need to performed.

FIG. 23 illustrates an exemplary augmented reality-like interface 36output to a mobile device 16 and providing a visual rendering ofoperating equipment 38 of a HVAC system. The visual rendering mayinclude still images or may further include animations providing detailinformation about the operating status of the equipment 38 or the like.

As such, a user, such as a facility manager, a building maintenanceengineer, or the like, may directly interact with the buildingautomation system and the equipment in a direct manner via their mobiledevice, while utilizing the crowdsourcing platform in which patrons oremployees within the building can provide their comfort levels and/ormaintenance issues. Accordingly, the system of the present inventionprovides robust and optimal communication systems for improving buildingmaintenance, further improving a user's ability to diagnose issues andunderstand the current status of the systems.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

References and citations to other documents, such as patents, patentapplications, patent publications, journals, books, papers, webcontents, have been made throughout this disclosure. All such documentsare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for allpurposes.

EQUIVALENTS

Various modifications of the invention and many further embodimentsthereof, in addition to those shown and described herein, will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the full contents of thisdocument, including references to the scientific and patent literaturecited herein. The subject matter herein contains important information,exemplification and guidance that can be adapted to the practice of thisinvention in its various embodiments and equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for providing an augmented reality-likeinterface for the management and maintenance over building automationsystem components, the system comprising: one or more mobile devicesassociated with respective users; and a central management informationsystem configured to communicate and exchange data with one or moremobile devices over a network, the central management information systemcomprising a hardware processor coupled to non-transitory,computer-readable memory containing instructions executable by theprocessor to cause the central management information system to: providea web-based platform having an interface with which an authorized usercan interact, via a mobile device associated with the authorized user,for the management and maintenance over building automation systemcomponents; receive, from the mobile device associated with theauthorized user, a scanning event comprising data associated with atleast one unique identifier comprising a digital representation of amachine-readable label; receive, via a data and collection module,crowdsourced data based on the scanning event, the crowdsourced datarelated to at least one of comfort and maintenance issues within a givenspace of a building as provided by one or more patrons within the givenspace via respective mobile devices, wherein crowdsourced data relatedto comfort comprises the one or more patrons' ratings of their perceivedcomfort within the given space of the building and the crowdsourced datarelated to maintenance issues comprises at least one maintenance-relatedrequest from the one or more patrons within the given space of thebuilding; receive, via the data and collection module, buildingautomation system data based on the scanning event, the buildingautomation system data comprising information associated with one ormore pieces of equipment; correlate, via a correlation module, thecrowdsourced data with the building automation system data; and generateand output an augmented reality-like interface to the mobile device ofthe authorized user based on the correlation of the crowdsourced datawith the building automation system data, wherein the interfacecomprises one or more visual renderings of equipment informationassociated with at least one of equipment schematics, equipmentdiagnostics, and equipment maintenance.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the machine-readable label is associated with the one or morepieces of equipment and/or a room or space in which the one or morepieces of equipment are located or associated with.
 3. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the machine-readable label is physically affixed to theone or more pieces of equipment or a wall on the room or space.
 4. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable label is selected fromthe group consisting of text, graphics, an image, a linear barcode, amatrix barcode, and a combination thereof.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the one or more pieces of equipment are associated with at leastone of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems of a building. 6.The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more pieces of equipment areassociated with a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC)system.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the augmented reality-likeinterface is configured to allow for user interaction with the visualrendering by way of user input on the mobile device.
 8. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the interface allows for the authorized user to controlone or more parameters of a piece of equipment.
 9. The system of claim1, wherein the building automation system data comprises informationassociated with the one or more pieces of equipment selected from thegroup consisting of equipment specifications, operating parameters ofthe equipment, equipment diagnostics, and maintenance status of theequipment.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the building automationsystem data further comprises one or more visual renderings of theequipment comprising at least one of still images and moving images. 11.The system of claim 10, wherein the augmented reality-like interfacecomprises a visual illustration of the equipment, the visualillustration depicting at least one of internal components of theequipment and real-time diagnostics of the equipment while in operation.12. The system of claim 1, wherein the augmented reality-like interfaceis configured to allow for user interaction with the visual rendering byway of user input on the mobile device.
 13. The system of claim 12,wherein the interface allows for the authorized user to control one ormore parameters of a piece of equipment.
 14. The system of claim 13,wherein, in response to input from the authorized user, the centralmanagement information system is configured generate a control signaland further transmit the control signal to the piece of equipment tocause adjustment of operation of the piece of equipment to result in theadjustment to the air temperature within the given space of the buildingbased, at least in part, on the crowdsourced data related to comfort.15. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more mobile devices areselected from the group consisting of a tablet computer, a laptopcomputer, a notebook computer, a mobile computing device, a smart phone,and a cellular telephone.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the networkis selected from the group consisting of Wi-Fi wireless datacommunication technology, the internet, private networks, virtualprivate networks (VPN), public switch telephone networks (PSTN),integrated services digital networks (ISDN), digital subscriber linknetworks (DSL), various second generation (2G), third generation (3G),fourth generation (4G) cellular-based data communication technologies,Bluetooth radio, and Near Field Communication (NFC).